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Show REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. 23 so many gentlemen, chiefs, and ladies. I think the Great Spirit has something to do with bringing you ' all hero to- night. Long ago the Arapahoes had a fine country of their own. Tlie white man came to see them, and the Indians gave him buffalo meat and a horse to ride on, and told him the country was big enough for the white man and the Arapahoes too. At'lcr a while the white men found gold in our country. They took the i>- old and pushed the Indian from his home. I thought Washington would make it all right. I am an old man now. I have been waiting many years for Wash-ington to give us our rights. The Government sent agents and soldiers out there to us, and both have driven iis from our lands. We do not want to fight. The white man has taken away everything. I want to tell you of this, because I believe if you know it you will correct the evil. I think the Great Spirit is looking at all that is said here, and for that reason I am talking truth. I want my people to live like white people, and havet he same chance. I hope the Great Spirit will put a good heart into the white people, that they may give us our rights. When I saw the old man ( Peter Cooper) who invited us to come here to- night, my heart opened to him. I have thanked the Great Spirit many times that I have been permitted to be here. I want to tell you all that is in my heart, and if I do not it will be because I forget it, and not because I hide it. We want to travel in the same road as the white man. We want to have his rifle, his powder, and his ball to hunt with. My people are waiting on the hills to greet me when I return, and I want to give them a good report. Buffalo Good, of the Wichitas, was next introduced, and spoke as follows : SPEECH OF BUFFALO GOOD. I am glad to meet my friends here to- night, and I want to have a good strong talk with you. I think there must be a great many big chiefs here to- night, by the looks of this audience. I have heard that there are a great many white people in the East who know nothing of the wrongs which have been done to our people, and would like to hear of them, aiid I am here to night to tell a little of them. I will tell you a straight story, and no lies. We want houses built for our jjeople to live in, and school- houses for our children, the same as white children have. I have heard that this house belongs to an old gentleman who loves everybody, and pities all poor people in the country. [ Loud applause.] I think we should all be brothers. I want you to help all the Indi-ans. Some are a little further along than we are, and we want to push ahead and get as far as they are. The white people have done a good deal of wrong to our people, and we want to have it stopped. If you are going to do anything for us we want you to do it quick. I saw the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Washington, and he told me he knew all about it, and was going to fix it up ; but I have heard that so long that I am afraid it is not true. But you look like good people, and I don't think you will fool us. The Commissioner told us he wanted we should come and see the white people ; that they would do us no wrong, and we have had a very good time, and I think that time the Commissioner talked straight. Some white men come among the Indians, and seem to like to live there, just as we have come here ; and I would like to stay here, too. Since I have been here I have met several gentlemen that I knew in my country, and I am very glad to meet them here, and to meet all the new friends that I have made here ; and no white man has said anything bad to me since I have been here, and for that I feel very good. I have often heard, in my own home, that we had a great many white friends in the East, and since I have been looking over this audience, I think it ' is true. I want you to stop the white men from killing the Indians after this. The Indian loves to live as well as the white man. They are there, and they can't help being there. That is all I have got to say to you to- night. I have tried to make a straight talk, and to tell no lies, and I am much obliged to you for listening to me. Professor B. N. Martin was then introduced, and said : PROFESSOR B. N. MARTIN'S SPEECH. Far to the southwest of the Plains, which are homes of the chiefs you see before you, lies our newest acquisition of the Mexican territory, the Territory, now, of Arizona, and among the arid wilds, which have given it its descriptive name, are the homes of the Apaches. After years of hostility, many of those fierce and bloody savages have been driven or induced to surrender themselves prisoners of war, and some five hundred of them had been collected near Fort Grant, one of the principal military stations of the Territory, where they were, in charge of our military authorities. According to the oilicial account which has just reached us, and been published in our newspapers within the last three days, a volunteer military expedition was got up at Tucson, the principal city of the Territory, some sixty or seventy miles off, to go and destroy those now submissive and friendly Indians. Word was sent to the commander of the post, but unhappily did not reach him in time for any measures of protection; and upon visiting t he scene of the outrage, the bodies oftwenty- three persons were found treacher- |